Questions?

1. Who is eligible to apply for the diploma program?

The program is intended for undergraduate students who are completing an accounting specialization from the University of Toronto at the St. George (UTSG), Mississauga (UTM), or the Scarborough campus (UTSC) and who are interested in obtaining the Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation upon completion of their undergraduate degrees.

Students completing degrees in other Canadian universities may also be eligible for admission. Commerce or business degrees acquired outside the University of Toronto will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis on whether they are substantially equivalent to the University of Toronto bachelor's degree with a Specialist in Accounting and include the necessary prerequisite material.

2. What are the admission requirements?

Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must meet the following requirements:

i. Appropriate undergraduate degree: Admission to the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting is available to students in their fourth year of study or to recent graduates of the following University of Toronto undergraduate programs:

Rotman – B. Com. (Accounting Specialist – Public Accounting Stream)

University of Toronto Mississauga – B. Com. (Accounting Specialist)

University of Toronto Scarborough – B.B.A. (Specialist in Management and Accounting)

University of Toronto students who are not currently candidates for one of the accounting specialist programs but have taken all the pre-requisite courses listed in (iii) may be considered as applicants to the G.Dip.P.A. program. The admissions team will evaluate on a case-by‐case basis whether a commerce or business program would be considered substantially equivalent to one of the three programs listed above.

Students may apply in the year following graduation, possibly with some relevant work experience.

ii. Applicants must have completed the courses required to qualify for entry into the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP) as determined with CPA Ontario:

required core courses: a minimum overall average of 70%;

each individual core course: a minimum grade of 60%;

each individual non-core course: a passing grade or 50%, whichever is higher.

Our expectation is that the averages of those admitted into the program will be significantly higher than these minimums.

If students are applying to the program in the fourth year of their undergraduate degree, conditional acceptance to the program is given based on the grades attained for the years leading up to and including the Fall semester of their final year of undergraduate studies.

iii. Required courses: A list of the specific courses necessary for entry into the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting at the University of Toronto can be found here.

3. Will a GMAT test score be required?

Completion of the GMAT is NOT required.

4. What are the computer requirements for the program?

All students are required to have a laptop that they can use at home and in class.

5. What is the tuition for the diploma program?

The Tuition Fee for students entering the G.Dip.P.A. program in May 2017 is:

Domestic Student Fee: $9,850*

International Student Fee: $14,750*

* In addition to the Tuition Fee noted above, there are University incidental fees, including required and optional fees and Rotman compulsory ancillary fees to cover the cost of course materials. Additional Rotman ancillary fees will be charged on a ‘pay per service’ basis (i.e. registration in Academic & Professional Development workshops etc.) and will be collected by the Program Services Office.

Please note that Tuition Fees, University incidental fees and the Rotman ancillary fees are set annually and are subject to change.

Students with employment offers from an accounting firm before or after starting the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting should inquire with their employer about potential tuition subsidies. Some accounting firms will reimburse their employees a portion of the tuition of an accredited Graduate Diploma program. The G.Dip.P.A. at Rotman provides the equivalent training for four CPA PEP modules: Core 1, Core 2, Audit & Assurance Elective and Tax Elective.

6. What is the program duration and class structure?

The Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting program will be offered over a 12-week summer session from the beginning of May to the end of July. Within this summer session, students will complete a structured sequence of 5 half courses (2.5 FCE) on a full-time basis. Students will be in classroom lectures and cases between 15 to 20 hours a week.

The program will have the following 5 courses running concurrently:

Advanced Financial Reporting

Advanced Taxation

Advanced Topics in Assurance and Control

Finance and Professional Practice

Integration and Analysis

7. What are the benefits of attaining this diploma?

The Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting builds on a very strong and unique undergraduate program at the University of Toronto and focuses on the integration and development of professional skills in addition to providing technical content where needed. The curriculum is designed to provide students with an academically rigorous program that will give advanced standing to students who pursue a CPA designation. Find out more about the benefits of a CPA on the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada website here.

The Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting will allow students to advance directly to the Capstone 1 module in the CPA Professional Education Program. This advanced standing means that students can complete a significant amount of their preparation prior to working full-time, thereby alleviating some of the stress associated with studying and working concurrently. Students who successfully complete the program will complete the requirements of four CPA PEP modules (Core 1, Core 2, Assurance Elective and Tax Elective) over the summer prior to the start of employment.

8. When can students begin to apply for the program?

Application Deadline: January 18, 2018

The application fee is CDN$50.

Important note for students in their fourth year of study: we strongly encourage you to submit your application once your official grades from the Fall 2017 term have been released. Processing and review of submitted applications will begin only after the release of Fall Semester grades.

9. Is the diploma program awarded by the University of Toronto?

Yes. Students will be awarded a G.Dip.P.A. from the University of Toronto. The diploma will be conferred in the Fall.